Artificial Harmonics??

[Jaganath]

I was listening to a guy playing a solo a couple of weeks back and he was making his tele scream and it sounded awesome. When I asked him how he did that he said 'artificial harmonics', winked and wiggled his picking hand at me??

If someone could explain to me what artifical harmonics are and how to do it that would be great :banana:

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

It's kind of tricky at first :yell: A little hard to explain, Easier to show you.
Basicly You angle the pick on it's edge strike the string quicky followed by
the meaty part of your thumb. Almost like your pinching the string. ( i.e.
also called pinched Harmonices) It takes a little practice to get it down.
Maybe someone can explain it better? But it's best to get someone to show you.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

KMC has it right on! Pinch the string between the pick and the edge of your finger. It works best with volume/gain. Listen to Zack Wilde. He plays a lot of "pinch" harmonics. Jeff Beck plays without a pick and pulls harmonics out by picking the string with his thumb, and placing his index finger in front of the tumb and lightly touch the string with his index finger as he picks creating the harmonic. It is an awsome tecnique, but very hard to master.

 

[Jaganath]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

Ok,I think I'm beginning to understand this - before I thought that getting the string between the pick and the side of your thumb would mute the string and kill the sound.

Is it case it's a case of getting the string to lightly buzz against the pick or your finger after you've hit the note or do you actually pick the string while it's pinched?

 

[southadc]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

You're basically picking the string twice in very rapid succession - once with your pick, once with your thumb (but not so hard with your thumb).

If you do this on the right place on the string, you'll pick out a harmonic. The picking positions will move as you change the fret you're playing at, and they are in slightly different places on different strings.

 

[Jaganath]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

Ok, now this really sounds complicated! This is going to be one of those really hard to get down, frustrating skills that takes forever to master..... pretty much like any other guitar skill

When you say 'pick out a harmonic' I take it that's a note that's harmonic with the first note....but if you can only play one note at a time on one string how does it work - is it because of the delay in the signal hitting the amp or something?

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

I get pinched/artificial harmonics in a really silly way, and I've only seen one other guitarist play them this way. I don't know if it's easier than the 'lightly brush the string with the meat of your thumb as you play the note' technique, but it is for me. When I pick a note, I hold the pick with my thumb and index finger. I just keep my ring finger directly on the string when I pick, and voila! SCREAMING harmonics!!

Check out the song 'Gettysburg' on my web site, www.twilight-odyssey.com, for an example of this technique applied all over the neck.

 

[Lee]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

Pinch harmonics have been done to death. I hate them. All you are doing is making the string vibrate at twice the normal rate by clipping it.


Lee

 

[yes-fan]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

I get pinched/artificial harmonics in a really silly way, and I've only seen one other guitarist play them this way. I don't know if it's easier than the 'lightly brush the string with the meat of your thumb as you play the note' technique, but it is for me. When I pick a note, I hold the pick with my thumb and index finger. I just keep my ring finger directly on the string when I pick, and voila! SCREAMING harmonics!!

Check out the song 'Gettysburg' on my web site, www.twilight-odyssey.com, for an example of this technique applied all over the neck.

ooooooooo your the guy who did that song! i emailed you a while ago saying how much i loved it! rythems in that are awsome. and your guitar sounds pretty killer.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

ooooooooo your the guy who did that song! i emailed you a while ago saying how much i loved it! rythems in that are awsome. and your guitar sounds pretty killer.

Hey, thanx, man! I really appreciate it! I wish you could come out to the CT gig next week! 21+ to get in, tho ... :smack:

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

Another harmonic method that is cools to strike the fretted note with your picking hand up an octave.Hitting the fretboard will work if your fast enough,but striking the fret gives a really cool 'bell' tone.

True, but that's an artificial harmonic, not a pinched harmonic ...

 

[y2stevo]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

I get pinched/artificial harmonics in a really silly way, and I've only seen one other guitarist play them this way. I don't know if it's easier than the 'lightly brush the string with the meat of your thumb as you play the note' technique, but it is for me. When I pick a note, I hold the pick with my thumb and index finger. I just keep my ring finger directly on the string when I pick, and voila! SCREAMING harmonics!!

Check out the song 'Gettysburg' on my web site, www.twilight-odyssey.com, for an example of this technique applied all over the neck.

Hey twilight wouldn't the way you do em be more like 'artificial' 'harp' harmonics??

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

Hey twilight wouldn't the way you do em be more like 'artificial' 'harp' harmonics??

It may be; I've never seen anyone else do it that way, or name it, but your harp analogy is right on the money ... I'll do a little research into it. If not, I think you've just coined a new guitar phrase!!!

 

[HetfieldRules]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

i just listened to Gettysburg.......that was amazing! i heard the 1st not and all i oculd think of was iron maiden, it sounds a lot likea mix of Iron Maiden and Iced Earth, 2 of my favorite bands...very nice...the overtones sound like the ones zakk wylde uses jsut about everywhere

 

[Hellion]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

Pinch harmonics have been done to death. I hate them. All you are doing is making the string vibrate at twice the normal rate by clipping it.
Lee

Sorry you feel that way, Lee. I kind of like them myself, but you're not making the string vibrate at twice the normal rate unless it's a true octave above. What you're normally doing (if you're doing them right) is making the string subdivide its vibrations by a third, a fifth or seventh or whatever. And I may be misinterpreting your definition of clipping, which is normally distortion. There's no distortion involved. It has to do with making an "artificial nut" at the harmonic site. I personally use my ring and middle finger nail. For me, they're a happy accident when I want them.

 

[Studiobuddy]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

just really dig the pick into the string slightly on the edge ur thumb most likely will hit it afterwards, and vibrate the string..thats the way i do it

 

[kneadmomunny]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

when you pull off true harmonics the string moves as shown below, and when you do a harmonic with your thumb it makes those little ovals even smaller creating a very fast moving string about 2 inches in length. obviously this is a very high pitched note. :scared:

 

[southadc]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

(Just kidding)

 

[shogunlegend]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

i use the pick and the side of my thumb and get super harmonics with ease. the some positions on the fretboard are easier to get harmonics than others. it can have a lot to do with the kind pickups you use, distortion, and eq settings. the problem with my technique is that it's much harder to get AH on the upstroke than the downstroke. you have to kind of dig in and upwards with your thumb and pick as opposed to the downstroke where you only need to brush the strings.

there are other factors too. if you pick hard or lightly, and where your pick hand is positioned. if your hand is closer to the neck, you're going to get fatter harmonics, and if your pick hand is positioned by the bridge, you're going to get more percussive kind of harmonic.

if you want to train yourself to get harmonics easy, try raising your middle pickup real close to the strings so that if you dig in too much with your pick, you will hit the middle pickup. when you learn how to pick with just the tip of hte pick, harmonics come easy.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Artificial Harmonics??

thread from the dead!!

i remember lee's rag about artificial harmonics .. this was around the time of gomano's asking forum bros to contribute to his cd ... i remember when i did my little solo bit, i made sure i ended my lick with a pinched harmonic just to tweek Lee

how funny

t4d